Iran to announce new restricted zone in Gulf, new Strait of Hormuz corridor

Iran is preparing to announce a new restricted maritime zone in the Gulf and introduce maps for a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, as renewed military exchanges involving Iran and the United States disrupt shipping and push oil prices higher.

Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the proposed restricted zone would begin at the point where the US blockade of Iran starts and extend into parts of the Gulf. Under the proposed arrangement, vessels entering the zone would be placed on a sanctions list.

Iran is also preparing to approve maps showing designated routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor that has experienced a sharp decline in tanker traffic during the conflict.

“The maps of a new international corridor which lies in Iranian and Omani waters and in which Iran will have management have been agreed and should be signed in the coming days,” Rezaei said.

Strait of Hormuz shipping faces further disruption

The proposed changes come as military activity in the region has intensified following a period of relative calm in August. US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, including a vessel near Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil export hub. The strikes followed attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on US warships in the region.

Iran has continued to demonstrate its ability to target US interests in neighbouring countries and potentially disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, around one-fifth of global oil supplies moved through the strategic waterway.

Shipping activity through the strait has fallen significantly. An average of about 10 commodity ships crossed the waterway each day over the 10 days through Monday, the lowest level recorded since May, according to shipping data.

Reduced traffic has added pressure to oil markets. Brent crude rose 0.8% on Monday to trade above $97 a barrel, extending gains recorded the previous week.

US blockade increases pressure on Iran

The US campaign to restrict Iran’s oil exports and prevent sanctions evasion is placing increasing economic pressure on Tehran, according to three senior Iranian sources.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday that Washington should recognise that the situation had changed.

“From now on, any attack against Iran’s interests and security will receive a faster, heavier and more painful response,” he said in a speech published on his Telegram channel.

Qalibaf said Iran’s response would extend beyond military action, with production and people’s livelihoods becoming a central part of the country’s efforts to withstand the economic impact of the blockade.

What is the proposed Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor?

The proposed corridor would run through Iranian and Omani waters and would be subject to Iranian management, according to Rezaei. Iran has said maps for the route have been agreed and are expected to be formally signed in the coming days.

The announcement comes at a time when reduced vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz are raising concerns over the security of one of the world’s most important energy routes and the potential impact on global oil supplies.